Wounds
by Kristen3
Summary: Niles experiences a mishap in the kitchen which brings back memories for him and Daphne. One-shot set in S11.


**Author's Note:**Thanks once again to Andrea (iloveromance) for encouraging me to go ahead w/ this idea! :)

Niles was tired of paperwork. He knew that one of the key parts of being a good psychiatrist involved keeping detailed records of a patient's progress, but he'd already been at it several hours now. He had thought that the distraction would keep his mind off the fact that Daphne had gone out for the day. But it simply was no use. He missed her so much.

He knew it was perhaps a bit irrational to be so upset. After all, she had simply gone to the mall with Roz in order to pick up items they would need for the fast-approaching birth of their first child. But the fact remained, this apartment just didn't feel right when she wasn't there. For so long, he'd wanted to share his life with her. Now she was his wife. Of course he would always be grateful for that, not to mention the miracle that lived inside her.

She had been coming home exhausted from her daily sessions with Martin. He offered to hire a replacement therapist so that she could relax, but Daphne wouldn't have it. "If I don't look after your father, I'll do nothing but sit around here, feeling useless!"

"Oh, my love, you could never be useless! I know that pregnancy can be stressful, but in my eyes, you've never been more beautiful."

Daphne's heart had melted at that. It led to a series of kisses which neither would soon forget. But Daphne's mind was still on the impending birth. Niles offered to take her shopping to get some of the necessary items. "That's very sweet of you, Darling. But I think Roz has a bit more experience in this area than you do."

Of course there was no denying she was right. And the idea of doing something fun had definitely lifted Daphne's spirits. But that did nothing to ease Niles' loneliness. He walked around the apartment, bored. But then a thought occurred to him. What better way to show his appreciation for the future mother of his child than by preparing dinner for her?

He went into the kitchen, eager to start cooking. He pulled ingredients from the refrigerator and began making one of his favorite gourmet meals. As he began chopping vegetables for a salad, his mind drifted back in time. Soon, he found himself softly humming _Heart and Soul_, and wishing she were there to sing with him. His thoughts were interrupted by a sound from the living room.

"I'm home!"

Daphne's voice startled Niles. Unfortunately, the knife he'd been holding slipped, and blood began to seep out from his finger. "Ah!" An extreme case of light-headedness hit.

When she heard her husband cry out, Daphne ran toward the kitchen door. She opened it and was heartbroken to see her husband staring at his finger, while desperately trying not to faint. Immediately, she went into healthcare-worker mode. She carefully guided him to a chair.

"Oh, Daphne, I'm so sorry..." He began hyperventilating.

"Sh. Let me just fetch a bandage, and you'll be good as new. Just stay still." She placed her hand on his cheek.

The touch of her hand calmed him immediately. But as she took off to find the items, Niles caught sight once again of his finger. "Daphne..." The room began spinning.

Daphne hurried back as quickly as she could. "Now, this is going to sting a bit," she said, as she put some disinfectant onto a cloth. "Just look at me, all right? The pain will be over in a moment."

Niles did his best to try to focus on Daphne's eyes. But he could not ignore the fact that he was still bleeding. He knew that passing out was a very distinct possibility. But just as he was about to give in, he felt a sharp sting. "Ow!"

"I'm so sorry, Darling. But as soon as I put this bandage on it, you should be fine." She quickly opened the bandage and placed it around the tip of his finger. Immediately, she saw the gauze inside turn red. But she lifted his hand to her mouth,gently kissing it.

Daphne's kiss made the pain from his cut instantly subside. In fact, Niles half-expected to be able to rip the bandage off and find his finger totally healed. Luckily, he had the common sense not to test his theory. "Thank you," he finally said.

A sigh of relief was all Daphne could manage in response. She hadn't realized until that moment just how frightened she'd been. "How did this happen?"

Niles hung his head in shame. "I wanted to surprise you with dinner. I was chopping vegetables to make a salad, and I started humming _Heart and Soul_, and I guess my mind wandered a bit."

Daphne kissed him deeply. "Thank you. Roz and I had a wonderful time shopping. I know I've been a bit cross these past few weeks. But Roz told me she was the same way when she was expecting Alice. I'm so glad I've got a girlfriend who's been through all of this!"

Niles stood, taking her in his arms. He would do anything possible to ease her burden, but he knew there was very little he could do, except to love her. She would need Roz for advice and support. Though Roz had never been one of his favorite people, he was profoundly grateful for her place in Daphne's life. He kissed Daphne.

Kissing her would never get old. Niles had learned that long ago. It came from being denied the experience for so many years. For a moment, neither spoke, as they expressed their love in other ways.

When they stopped to catch their breath, Daphne examined his hand again. Suddenly, a memory came back to her. It seemed like a lifetime ago, and yet it was as vivid as ever. "Do you remember when you burned your hand when we were in the kitchen together at your brother's?"

"How could I forget? No one has ever tended to my wounds so gently before. I even mentioned it to Frasier afterward. I suspected you had feelings for me, but of course Frasier told me it was ridiculous."

Daphne smiled sadly. "Yes, I was starting to fall for you then. Once your brother told me your secret, I kept noticing things. The way you smiled at me every time I came into the room. Your compliments. I must admit, it was rather exciting to think that a man like you could feel that way about me."

"From the moment I met you, I was in awe. How could someone so beautiful be standing right in front of me, holding a pair of my father's shorts?"

The memory of their first meeting never failed to make Daphne blush. She knew she'd been anything but beautiful. And it was she who was in awe. She was still getting used to her new surroundings, and she hardly knew how to act most of the time. Of course, she had been unaware of the way he felt for so many years. The "what if's" left her with a sense of guilt that never seemed to go away. She hugged him tightly, feeling tears in her eyes.

"Sh," Niles said, trying to soothe her. "My love, what is it?" He took her in his arms and rubbed her back slowly.

Daphne brushed a tear from her cheek, pulling out of the embrace. "I just keep asking meself, what if I'd paid more attention? You're the sweetest man I've ever met, and I couldn't even see it."

"Oh, my love, you mustn't beat yourself up. We both missed opportunities. And yes, there are some things I wish I could re-do. But I don't want to spend my life thinking of that. I'd rather focus on where we are now. And where we're going." He placed a hand on her expanding abdomen.

Niles' words brought a smile to her face. Daphne knew she didn't need her psychic powers to tell her that their future was going to be a happy one.

**The End**


End file.
